She Stole My Curse novel · Chapter 20 of 32

Chapter 20: The Last Night

I came out of the garbage chute at a sprint, just as I'd promised.

Aurek was waiting by the dead pillar.

I told him the rest on the way home.

By the time I got to the part about the roots, Aurek was laughing so hard he had to stop swimming.

"I like him," he said, wiping his eyes. "I told you I liked him."

"He likes you too."

"Everyone likes me now. It's very strange."

Then I told him about the amethyst bracelet, and the captain, and the ring of spears, and he stopped laughing.

Three weeks went by.

On the morning of the Blood Tide my mother came to the gate of the Wreck Deep.

She came alone.

No guards. No herald. No horn.

The net-scarred brothers found her floating outside the gate at dawn, in a plain blue gown, and came running to get me.

I swam out to meet her.

She looked smaller without the throne behind her.

Older.

There were lines around her mouth I had never let myself see.

"Walk with me," she said.

We swam along the outside of the old city wall, past the broken towers.

She didn't look at any of it.

"Tonight," she said at last, "when you go to the circle, stand behind the spears."

"No."

"You don't have to stand beside him. Nobody will think less of you."

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